Sunshine after heavy storm? Ex-Esteghlal FC star convinced Pitso Mosimane can lead his team to glory

Pitso Mosimane - who was a free agent after his exit from Saudi side Abha, was appointed Esteghlal FC coach late in October.

The celebrated South African coach was brought to help the two-time AFC Champions League champions get back to their best after a disastrous start to the 2024-25 season.

The 60-year-old did not start his reign at the club as well as he might have wished. He suffered back-to-back defeats across all competitions.

However, it seems the former Al Ahly coach has managed to help his team turn a corner.

They are unbeaten in the last four games across all competitions. In the Persian Gulf Pro League, Esteghlal are 11 points behind leaders Tractor.

It explains why former club's star Edmond Akhtar is convinced The Capital Blues can still win the crown.

“Esteghlal’s growing trend has been evident during this time and was clearly evident in last night’s game against Folad,” he said in his interview with Football 360.

“This team’s conditions have changed completely compared to before the Asian Games, and that training camp with Mosimane’s team has made the team progress.

“Mosimane may not be a big name in the world, but he has shown that he is a head coach and that he both spends time with his team and has a lot of plans to work with the youth.

“We may have lost the championship on paper, but Esteghlal is always a contender, and now the team has found its true identity," Akhtar continued.

"Esteghlal can continue its growing trend again, and even considering the number of games left, it is not at all unlikely that Esteghlal will enter the championship race.

"The team has clearly been worked on and has made great progress in technical, physical, and tactical matters. I am not talking about the past, and the team was sick in the past and the fans’ expectations were not met.

"What always happens in football is changes and ups and downs, but the important thing is that Esteghlal has progressed and the team is close to success," concluded.

Mosimane has enjoyed success during his time at Mamelodi Sundowns, Al Ahly, and Al Ahli where he has won major titles.

It will be interesting to see what he can achieve with Esteghlal in his latest challenge.